Conservation and sustainable use of agricultural
biological diversity

Also recalling decisions II/15 and II/16 of the second meeting of the
Conference of the Parties,

Further recalling recommendation II/7 of the second meeting of the
Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice related to
agricultural biological diversity,

Welcoming the outcome of the fourth International Technical Conference
on the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources
for Food and Agriculture, held in June 1996 in Leipzig, and taking note of
the follow-up process agreed in Leipzig and of the periodic updating of the
report on the State of the World's Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture and the Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and
Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as well as
the implementation of the Global Plan of Action,

Considering the importance of biological diversity for agriculture and
taking note of the interrelationship of agriculture with biological diversity
as detailed in the basis for action attached hereto as Annex 1,

Believing that the field of agriculture offers a unique opportunity for
the Convention on Biological Diversity to link concerns regarding biological
diversity conservation and sharing of benefits arising from the use of
genetic resources with the mainstream economy, taking into account the need
for a balanced development of the three objectives of the Convention,

Recognizing the close relationship between agriculture and biological
and cultural diversity and that the Conference of the Parties has a clear
role and mandate to address issues relating to agricultural biological
diversity within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity,

Further recognizing agricultural biological diversity as a focal area
in view of its social and economic relevance and the prospects offered by
sustainable agriculture for reducing the negative impacts on biological
diversity, enhancing the value of biological diversity and linking
conservation efforts with social and economic benefits,

Urging the expeditious provision of funds from appropriate sources
necessary for the implementation of this decision,

Recognizing that traditional farming communities and their agricultural
practices have made a significant contribution to the conservation and
enhancement of biodiversity and that these can make an important contribution
to the development of environmentally sound agricultural production systems,

Recognizing also that the inappropriate use of and excessive dependence
on agrochemicals has produced substantial negative effects on terrestrial
systems, including soil, coastal and aquatic organisms, thus affecting
biological diversity in different ecosystems,

Reaffirming the sovereign rights of States over their own genetic
resources, including their genetic resources for food and agriculture,

Urging Parties to establish or maintain means to regulate, manage or
control the risks associated with the use and release of living modified
organisms resulting from biotechnology which are likely to have adverse
environmental impacts that could affect the conservation and sustainable use
of biological diversity, taking also into account the risks to human health,

Considering that its activities in this field relating to the
implementation of Article 6 (b) of the Convention should focus on the
interface between agricultural sustainability and environmental issues and
should promote the integration of social, economic and environmental
objectives and facilitate the development of solutions to problems relating
to agricultural biological diversity in the context of the Convention's
provisions,

Further considering that the contributions of conservation and
sustainable use of agricultural biological diversity to sustainable
agriculture should be a key focal area within the context of terrestrial,
freshwater and marine biological diversity, to be pursued in collaboration
with, and with the cooperation and initiative of, relevant international
organizations thus avoiding duplication,

1. Decides to establish a multi-year programme of activities on
agricultural biological diversity aiming, first, to promote the positive
effects and mitigate the negative impacts of agricultural practices on
biological diversity in agro-ecosystems and their interface with other
ecosystems; second, to promote the conservation and sustainable use of
genetic resources of actual or potential value for food and agriculture; and
third, to promote the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of
the utilization of genetic resources; and which, in support of the
implementation of ongoing or the initiation of new policies, programmes and
plans in the field of agrobiodiversity, will have the following components:

(a) The identification and assessment of relevant ongoing activities
and existing instruments at the international level;

(b) The identification and assessment of relevant ongoing activities
and existing instruments at the national level;

(c) The identification of issues that need to be addressed and
relevant knowledge;

(d) The identification of priority issues for further development of
the programme;

(e) The identification and implementation of case studies on issues
identified;

(f) The sharing of experiences and the transfer of knowledge and
technologies;

2. Requests the Executive Secretary to invite the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in close collaboration with
other relevant United Nations bodies and regional and international
organizations, to identify and assess relevant ongoing activities and
existing instruments at the international level, choosing among the thematic
areas in the indicative list in Annex 2. The results should be reported back
on a phased basis to the Conference of the Parties through the Subsidiary
Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice;

3. Welcomes the offer by the Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations to continue serving countries in implementing the
Convention on Biological Diversity in the area of agricultural biological
diversity, and, referring to its earlier decisions, underlines the necessity
of avoiding any duplication of work with respect to the activities being
undertaken by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in
this programme of work;

4. Requests Parties, as far as possible and as appropriate, to
identify and assess relevant ongoing activities and existing instruments at
the national level and to report back to the Conference of the Parties;

5. Requests Parties, as far as possible and as appropriate, to
identify issues and priorities that need to be addressed at the national
level and to report back to the Conference of the Parties;

6. Suggests that, in carrying out the initiatives described in
paragraphs 3 and 4 above, Parties consider the thematic areas in the
indicative list in Annex 2, as appropriate;

7. Requests the Executive Secretary, in close collaboration with the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as appropriate, to
report the results, together with advice from the Subsidiary Body on
Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, of the above initiatives as a
basis for setting priorities by the Conference of the Parties for further
work within this programme of work using as criteria, inter alia:

(a) The relevance of the issue to the objectives of the Convention;

(b) The extent to which work on the issue is not already being
undertaken;

8. Requests that the clearing-house mechanism be used to promote and
facilitate the development and transfer of technology relevant to the
conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biological diversity by
facilitating contacts among:

(a) Groups needing solutions to specific problems;

(b) Holders of technologies developed and maintained by many sources;

(c) Technology-transfer brokers;

(d) Enabling agencies which fund technology transfer;

9. Encourages the Parties, in accordance with decision I/2 of the
Conference of the Parties, to use and/or study and develop methods and
indicators to monitor the impacts of agricultural development projects,
including the intensification and extensification of production systems, on
biological diversity and to promote their application;

10. Invites countries to share case-study experiences addressing the
conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biological diversity, which,
among other ways of sharing information, should be posted through the
clearing-house mechanism of the Convention;

11. Encourages interested Parties and international agencies to
conduct case studies on the two initial issues identified by the Subsidiary
Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice in recommendation
II/7, described in Annex 3;

12. Instructs the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and
Technological Advice to coordinate and assess the lessons learned from work
on the topics described in Annex 3 and to report back thereon to the
Conference of the Parties, as appropriate;

13. Recognizes that the successful implementation of policies aiming
at the sustainable use of agrobiodiversity components largely depends on the
degree of public awareness and understanding of its basic importance for
society, and recommends Parties to establish or enhance mechanisms for
information and education, including the use of the clearing-house mechanism,
specific to groups of concern at national, regional and international levels;

14. Endorses the conclusions of the relevant sections of the 1995
Commission on Sustainable Development sectoral review of Agenda 21, which,
inter alia, recognized the need for an integrated and multidisciplinary
approach to the planning, development and management of land resources, and
that the achievement of the multiple objectives related to sustainable
agriculture and rural development requires a whole system approach that
recognizes that it is not possible to focus on agricultural activities alone;

(a) Identify key components of biological diversity in agricultural
production systems responsible for maintaining natural processes and cycles,
monitoring and evaluating the effects of different agricultural practices and
technologies on those components and encouraging the adoption of repairing
practices to attain appropriate levels of biological diversity;

(b) Redirect support measures which run counter to the objectives of
the Convention regarding agricultural biodiversity;

(c) Internalize environmental costs;

(d) Implement targeted incentive measures which have positive impacts
on agrobiodiversity, in order to enhance sustainable agriculture, in
accordance with Article 11 and consistent with Article 22, as well as to
undertake impact assessments in order to minimize adverse impacts on
agrobiodiversity, in accordance with Article 14;

(e) Encourage the development of technologies and farming practices
that not only increase productivity, but also arrest degradation as well as
reclaim, rehabilitate, restore and enhance biological diversity and monitor
adverse effects on sustainable agricultural biodiversity. These could
include, inter alia, organic farming, integrated pest management, biological
control, no-till agriculture, multi-cropping, inter-cropping, crop rotation
and agricultural forestry;

(f) Empower their indigenous and local communities and build their
capacity for in situ conservation and sustainable use and management of
agricultural biological diversity, building on the indigenous knowledge
systems;

(g) Encourage ex ante and/or ex post evaluation of impacts on
biological diversity from agricultural development projects, to assure the
use of best practices to promote the conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity;

(h) Integrate with other plans, programmes and projects relating to
the conservation and sustainable use of other terrestrial, freshwater,
coastal and marine ecosystems, in accordance with Article 6 (b) of the
Convention on Biological Diversity;

(i) Promote partnerships with researchers, extension workers and
farmers in research and development programmes for biological diversity
conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in agriculture.
To achieve this, countries should be encouraged to set up and maintain local
level forums for farmers, researchers, extension workers and other
stakeholders to evolve genuine partnerships;

(j) Promote at national and regional levels adequate and appropriate
services to farmers and responsiveness of public research and extension
services and development of genuine partnerships;

(k) Promote research into, and development and implementation of,
integrated pest management strategies, in particular, methods and practices
alternative to the use of agro-chemicals, that maintain biodiversity, enhance
agro-ecosystem resilience, maintain soil and water quality and do not affect
human health;

(l) Encourage the consideration of introducing necessary measures
and/or legislation, as appropriate, to encourage appropriate use of and
discourage excessive dependence on agro-chemicals with a view to reducing
negative impacts on biological diversity;

(m) Study, use and/or develop, in accordance with decision I/2,
methods and indicators to monitor the impacts of agricultural development
projects on biological diversity, including intensification and
extensification, of production systems on biological diversity, and to
promote their application;

(n) Study the positive and negative impacts on ecosystems and biomes
of agricultural transformation resulting from intensification or
extensification of production systems in their countries;

16. Encourages Parties to develop national strategies, programmes and
plans, which should focus on, inter alia:

(a) The key elements of the Global Plan of Action, such as broadening
the genetic base of major crops; increasing the range of genetic diversity
available to farmers; strengthening the capacity to develop new crops and
varieties that are specifically adapted to local environments; exploring and
promoting the use of underutilized crops; and deploying genetic diversity to
reduce crop vulnerability;

(b) The development of inventories which consider the status of farm
animal genetic resources and measures for their conservation and sustainable
utilization;

(c) Micro-organisms of interest for agriculture;

17. Encourages Parties at the appropriate level, with the support of
the relevant international and regional organizations, to promote:

(a) The transformation of unsustainable agricultural practices into
sustainable production practices adapted to local biotic and abiotic
conditions, in conformity with the ecosystem or integrated land use approach;

(b) The use of farming practices that not only increase productivity,
but also arrest degradation as well as reclaim, rehabilitate, restore and
enhance biological diversity;

(c) Mobilization of farming communities including indigenous and
local communities for the development, maintenance and use of their knowledge
and practices in the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity
in the agricultural sector with specific reference to gender roles;

18. Notes that the various options for the legal status of a revised
International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources, which include a
voluntary agreement, binding instrument, or protocol to the Convention on
Biological Diversity, have not been decided upon by the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, requests the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations to inform the Conference of the Parties of
its deliberations, affirms its willingness to consider a decision by the
Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
that the International Undertaking should take the form of a protocol to this
Convention once revised in harmony with this Convention and further requests
the Executive Secretary to inform the Commission on Genetic Resources for
Food and Agriculture accordingly;

19. Welcomes the contribution that the Global Plan of Action for the
Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources, as
adopted by the fourth International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic
Resources, provides to the implementation of the Convention on Biological
Diversity in the field of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture
and encourages Parties actively to implement the Global Plan of Action, in
accordance with their national capacities, and endorses its priorities and
policy recommendations; recognizes that several issues require further work
in the context of the FAO Global System for the Conservation and Utilization
of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, in particular:
financing; the realization of Farmers' Rights as discussed in the Global Plan
of Action; as well as terms of technology transfer to developing countries
and access and benefit-sharing arrangements, in accordance with relevant
provisions of the Convention. In this regard, calls for effective and speedy
completion of the revision of the International Undertaking and strengthening
of the FAO Global System;

20. Appreciates the importance of the country-based Global Strategy
for the Management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources under the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and strongly supports its
further development;

21. Draws the attention of Parties to Article 20.1 of the Convention,
in the context of providing, in accordance with their capabilities, financial
support and incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity important to agriculture in accordance with national plans,
priorities and programmes;

22. Draws the attention of international funding agencies to the
urgent need to support the conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity important to agriculture and invites these agencies to provide
information and feedback in this respect to the Conference of the Parties and
in this context, requests the interim financial mechanism to give priority to
supporting efforts for the conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity important to agriculture in accordance with this decision;

23. Encourages the United Nations Environment Programme/Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations process developed by the
Intergovernmental Committee negotiating an international binding instrument
for the application of the prior informed consent procedure on hazardous
chemical substances, including pesticides;

24. Recalls paragraph 39 (g) from the World Food Summit Plan of
Action and encourages the World Trade Organization through its Committee on
Trade and Environment, in collaboration with other relevant organizations, to
consider developing a better appreciation of the relationship between trade
and agricultural biodiversity and, in this consideration, recommends the
collaboration with the Convention on Biological Diversity and requests the
Executive Secretary to convey this request to the World Trade Organization.

Annex 1

BASIS FOR ACTION

A. Impact of biological diversity on agriculture

1. Biological diversity has enabled farming systems to evolve since
agriculture was first developed some 12,000 years ago, and an understanding
of the dynamic evolutionary and environmental processes which shape and
influence agricultural biodiversity is fundamental to improving the
sustainable management and conservation of agricultural ecosystems today. In
recent years, as the world's population continues to grow and agricultural
production must meet the rising demand for food, agricultural expansion into
forests and marginal lands, combined with overgrazing and urban and
industrial growth, has substantially reduced levels of biological diversity
over significant areas. Current patterns of agricultural land use based on
limited numbers of species and varieties have also diminished the biological
diversity within agricultural ecosystems and are undermining the long-term
sustainability of agricultural production itself.

2. Agricultural intensification has the potential to balance the world's
need for increasing food supplies while reducing pressures to expand
agricultural areas still further, but it is also harmful when accompanied by
excessive dependence on agrochemicals and external energy and water inputs.
Agro-ecological forms of intensification can, however, blend improved
knowledge about agricultural ecosystems, intercropping, uses of diverse
species, integrated pest management and the efficient use of resources.
Beneficial mixes of land use also raise the overall level of biodiversity in
agricultural landscapes. These approaches currently represent a small but
growing portion of intensification efforts. Meeting the imperative of
increasing agricultural production in such sustainable ways while conserving
and prudently using biological diversity is the major challenge which we must
urgently address.

3. The importance of agrobiodiversity is of widespread and complex
significance to society, encompassing socio-cultural, economic and
environmental elements. It is essential to food security and poverty
alleviation and much of the knowledge about agrobiodiversity is maintained by
farmers themselves, many of whom are women. All domesticated crops and
animals result from human management of biological diversity, which is
constantly responding to new challenges to maintain and increase
productivity. Biological diversity itself presents opportunities for
naturally controlling pests and reducing the use of pesticides, while
maintaining high yields, and a large proportion of crops depend on insect
pollinators for good yields. Landraces and wild species of animals and
plants are the essential source of genetic variability for responding to
biotic and abiotic stress through genetic adaptation.

4. The biological diversity of the soil is responsible for nutrient
circulation and fertility within agricultural ecosystems. Diversified
agricultural production provides protection against uncertainties in the
market, especially for less capitalized producers, and increases the
opportunities to add value and exploit new markets. Farmers all over the
world have also managed a variety of wild species and habitats which benefit
the sustainability of both agricultural and natural ecosystems.

5. At the more fundamental level, the living organisms which constitute
agricultural biodiversity play an important role in the resilience of all
natural, life-support processes. They are essential agents for, inter alia,
nitrogen, carbon, energy and water cycles. Moreover, the species composition
and their relationships will affect the functioning and yields of
agricultural ecosystems themselves. A diverse environment also offers a
shield for agricultural ecosystems against perturbations, natural or man-made,
contributing to their resilience and that of their surrounding
ecosystems.

6. Agricultural production utilizes natural resources of diverse
ecosystems worldwide and is the economic activity most representative as far
as extensive land-use is concerned - nearly one third of the world's land
area is used for food production. Serious adverse effects may occur on
biological diversity at on and off-farm levels. Most of the world's
biological diversity on land is harboured by areas under exploitation by
humans; consequently, conserving biological diversity implies improving the
ways in which agricultural ecosystems are managed.

B. Impacts of agriculture on biodiversity

7. Different agricultural practices lead to diverse impacts upon
biological diversity. These impacts occur at the ecosystem, species and
genetic levels.

(a) Unsustainable agricultural practices have caused negative impacts
on biological diversity, world-wide, at all levels - ecosystem, species and
genetic - on both natural and domestic diversity. They have resulted in the
large-scale degradation of agrobiodiversity and habitats through the
destruction of biotic and abiotic resources, as well as by threatening the
natural resource base to agriculture and through socio-economic problems
created by destruction of the local resource base. Inappropriate reliance on
monoculture, over-mechanization, and misuse of agricultural chemicals
diminish the diversity of fauna, flora and micro-organisms, including
beneficial organisms. These practices normally lead to a simplification of
the components of the environment and to unstable production systems.
Expansion of agriculture to frontier areas, including forests, savannahs,
wetlands, mountains, and arid lands, combined with overgrazing, and
inadequate crop management and pest control strategies contribute to
degradation of biological diversity, as well as to the loss of the cultural
diversity of traditional communities.

(b) Agricultural practices have, however, also facilitated enhanced
biodiversity as a result of both traditional and modern sustainable farming
practices. Agricultural ecosystems can provide habitats for plants, birds
and other animals. Many agriculturalists have made strong efforts to
preserve biological diversity important to agriculture, both in situ and
ex situ. Currently, progress is being made in many regions of the world in
implementing biological diversity-friendly agricultural practices in soil
conservation, withdrawing production from marginal areas, mastering chemical
and nutrient runoff, and breeding crop varieties which are genetically
resistant to diseases, pests and abiotic stresses.

The relationship between biological diversity-friendly agricultural
practices and market forces.

10. Land-use pressures

Examining land-use pressures which make it more difficult to maintain
biodiversity-friendly practices, such as lack of services for rural
people, and the artificial maintenance of some land far below
productive capacity;

11. Agroforestry

Annex 3

INITIAL ISSUES FOR CONDUCTING CASE STUDIES

1. Pollinators, including consideration of the monitoring of the loss of
pollinators worldwide; the identification of the specific causes of
pollinator decline; the estimation of the economic cost associated with
reduced pollination of crops; the identification and promotion of best
practices and technologies for more sustainable agriculture; and the
identification and encouragement of the adoption of conservation practices to
maintain pollinators or to promote their re-establishment.

2. Soil micro-organisms in agriculture, including consideration of: the
measurement and monitoring of the worldwide loss of symbiotic soil micro-organisms,
in particular nitrogen-fixing bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi; the
identification and promotion of the transfer of technologies for the
detection of symbiotic soil micro-organisms and their use to enhance nitrogen
fixation and phosphorous absorption; the estimation of the potential and
actual economic gain associated with reduced use of nitrogen and phosphorus
chemical fertilization of crops with the enhanced use and conservation of
symbiotic soil micro-organisms; the identification and promotion of best
practices for more sustainable agriculture; and the identification and
promotion of conservation measures to conserve symbiotic soil micro-organisms
or to promote their re-establishment.